Android Tablet vs iPad; What You Need to Know

Taking a quick look backwards, tablet computers came into existence almost 20 years ago now. But the big launch for tablet awareness came after the launch of iPad. April 2010 marked the launch of iPad by Apple. It took the nation by storm! The main reason for its popularity was due to fact that iPad had remarkable similarity with Apple’s uber popular iPhone. iPad runs the same operating system as that of the iPhone. Tablet computers have caught fire with the public and reason is due to their electronic simplicity. iPad in particular is very stylish with the flat touchscreen, built in features and easy portability too. But iPads had to face its fair share of competition that share some similarities as well as have their own top notch features.

Let’s check out their main competitor now – Android Tablets:

Google Android Tablets

Google introduced an open operating system for smartphones much like that of Apple’s iOS operating system for Apple Smartphones. The 3.0 version of Android, code named ‘Honeycomb’ was first styled for tablet use and Motorola first introduced the tablet Xoom using this version. Like iPad, Android tablets have a touchscreen interface. With the tap of fingers you can activate icons on your screen. You have the ability to scroll onscreen with typing gestures and move objects around freely. Apple and Android tablets, both have an online market forum where you are able to get different types of apps or programs which can be purchased or downloaded to the device directly. Depending upon the app or level of functionality, these apps can range from free to somewhat costly. In some instances Android tablets bear so much similarity with iPads that from a distance it is difficult to distinguish between a iPad and Android tablets.

Image Source; Flickr.com

Now the really important question, Which is Better? Android Tablet vs iPad

It is extremely tough to answer, especially given the scenario nowadays. That is because iPads only come in a few versions and only under the flagship of Apple. But any company who can make a software which supports Google Android, can introduce their tablet into the market. It is natural that all the brands making Android tablets will try to come up with features that are a technology breakthrough in their own way. That opens up the competition as well as increasingly cool functionality that can be found from these tablet manufacturers.

When Xoom hit the market, it came with a dual core processor to make its speed faster than iPads. Xoom came in with two built in cameras for both rear and front. That became an instant favorite with consumers who were disappointed with Apple for non inclusion of a camera. It came up with larger display screen and more resolution.

But Apple was the leader and senior member of the industry so it had the advantage of apps and more online programs and iPad upgraded to better hardware with iPad 2. It had beaten out most of Xoom’s advantageous features which was the rear and front camera. The front and rear camera supports Apple’s face time video chat app as well. iPad 2 also has a dual core processor and is slimmer than iPad 1, a feature which Apple is a master at for all of its products.

But the story does not end here. Various Android tablets are coming in with some really strong features that make then very competitive to the iPad 2. If price is a concern, then Asus Eee Pad is lower by $200. Nice savings for anyone but especially if you are looking for a tablet for school. It comes with an optional keypad cover which can turn the tablet into a temporary notebook should the need arise. Samsung Galaxy tab competes on size and is both longer and slimmer. Price wise it is also slightly less than iPad 2.

But one place where it is near impossible to beat Apple, is on the style quotient. Apple iPads are super stylish and ultra slim. But when it comes to screen display resolution, Android tablets are doing a better job. Apple iPads have a screen display of 1024 × 768 pixels whereas Androids have 1280 × 800 pixels. Since Androids have the liberty to mold in other standard hardware, it tends to be more upgraded than Apple. Apple scores better in battery life than Android. With a single charge iPad runs almost a full day, that is longer than many Android tablets. Some Android tablets have USB connectors which iPads do not.

The number of apps available from the Apple store is greater than the Google store. There are more than 1,00,000 Apple app stores as of a recent check. If iPhone is taken into consideration, the number of app stores is even larger. Half of iPhone apps run on iPads too. Google does not officially announce the number of apps but apart from some games like Angry Birds and Temple Run which run both on Apple iPads, Apple clearly wins the app race. But Apple has a different approach on buying or downloading apps than the Google store. You can buy Apple apps only through the online app store which needs approval at every stage. On the other hand Google has a more open app culture. There are no restrictions on specific Android devices for releasing Android apps and there does not need an approval stamp at every step. I know that I personally find Apple app purchases more difficult than the Google store. What do you think?

Image Source; Flickr.com

Now what you need and what you want to buy depends upon three specifics. Price, Hardware and Software features:

When it comes to hardware then it is a daunting task to compare each model of Android with that of iPad.

If it is Software, then no doubt Apple has proven to be a master in the software department.

If price is the primary factor then, except for some flagship models, there are Android tablets with great features that only cost half the price of Apple iPads.

So you see the choice is not between one Apple or one Orange (Ok, sorry – just had to throw at least something like that into this post at least one time!!). It is like Apple iPads vs a basketful of Android tablets. Tough choice, but good luck friends. Let us know which one you have or choose in the comments below!

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